The UK has been found to have leading online retailers selling unregulated children’s car seats, as discovered by Which? in an investigation. The car seats, which lacked the required orange certification labels indicating regulatory compliance, were being sold on various platforms such as eBay, Shein, Wish, Little Dreams, and ManoMano. The lack of these labels means that parents cannot be certain if these seats have been tested to the legal standard, putting children’s lives at risk. These uncertified car seats were priced between £12.50 and £40, which is lower than the starting price of certified models, leading to concerns that financially strained families may opt to purchase them.
Which? had previously exposed flimsy fabric seats in 2014, which collapsed in crash tests and prompted their removal. The reappearance of uncertified models highlights how unsafe or illicit products can reemerge in the market. While the latest examples have not undergone formal testing, the absence of regulatory labels raises doubts about their safety and legal usage.
Two seats without regulatory labels were found on ManoMano, four on eBay, two on Wish.com, and one on Shein and Little Dreams. Shein, eBay, Wish, and Little Dreams removed the listings once they were informed. The safety issues with these car seats include a thin seat base, absence of a central point for harness release, lack of proper seatbelt positioning, multiple buckles making child rescue difficult, and inadequate side impact protection. These issues can result in children’s vulnerability to head trauma or death in the event of a crash.
Additionally, some listings described the car seats but included small-print disclaimers advising against their use in vehicles. The warning comes after the introduction of the Product Regulation and Metrology Act, which strengthens consumer safety rules. Which? is urging the government to introduce secondary legislation making online marketplaces directly responsible for ensuring goods meet safety requirements and to give regulators stronger enforcement powers.
Experts advise parents to check for approval labels indicating compliance with standards (ECE R44-03, R44-04 or R129), avoid secondhand models with potential hidden damage, buy from reputable retailers for fitting advice, and be cautious of excessively cheap options. Online marketplaces like eBay, Shein, Wish, Little Dreams, and ManoMano stated that they swiftly removed the mentioned listings and reaffirmed their commitment to preventing unsafe products on their platforms.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/sep/15/car-seats-being-sold-online-in-uk-that-risk-lives-of-children-which-finds
